Undergraduate
For undergraduate students, we offer majors in Physics, Astronomy, Biophysics, and a joint Physics/Computer Science program. We also offer minors in Physics and Astronomy.
Graduate
For graduate students, we offer a Ph.D. in Physics. If you are a prospective graduate student, please take a look at the Ph.D. section for all the information on application to our Ph.D. program.
Research
Physics and Astronomy are both going through revolutionary times mirrored by the research programs in the department, which range from theory of High Energy Physics, Condensed Matter Physics, to Cosmology. Large Scale Computation is an important field with several state-of-the-art facilities available to students and faculty. Emerging areas of research in our department include the rapidly developing fields of Quantum Information Science and Physical Biology. Biological Physics is where the quantitative skills of physicists address important problems coming from biological systems.
Cosmic Conversation
“Very shortly after the Big Bang, we believe there was a period when the expansion of the universe was highly accelerated. Right after that, all the particles that we know about — even those that may make us up — were created.”
— Elena Pierpaoli, Professor of Physics and Astronomy
Your Major & Minor
The Department of Physics & Astronomy offers majors and minors in five different subject areas. It also offers several different levels of introductory courses for students with majors in other departments.
Featured Faculty
Peter Foster
Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy
I work on the physics of living systems, with a focus on the cytoskeleton — the cellular machines that drive processes ranging from motility to cell division. I’m interested in understanding how the properties of cytoskeletal materials emerge from the interactions between the materials’ protein constituents and the flows of energy through the system.
What are your hobbies? When I can, I love to get outdoors! I’ve really been enjoying exploring the hiking trails near L.A.
Read any good books lately? I’m currently reading Endless Forms Most Beautiful by Sean B. Carroll.
What food or condiments will we always find in your kitchen? I’ll always have a soft spot for Cabot cheddar.
Kelly Luo
Gabilan Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy
My lab is passionate about understanding interactions between the quantum degrees of freedom in solid-state systems such as electron spins, photons and magnons. We investigate their couplings, propagations and nonequilibrium dynamics, and explore new device concepts for spin-based quantum information processing.
If you could invite one person to dinner, living or dead, who would you select? What would be on the menu? Marie Curie; anything.
If time-travel was possible, what era would you head to and why? 50 years from now. Maybe we will have another quantum revolution by then?
What food or condiments will we always find in your kitchen? Sichuan peppercorns, both the green and the red kinds.
Kris Pardo
Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy
My work focuses on how we can use astrophysical data to better understand our universe. Specifically, I’m interested in how we can use this data to observe gravitational waves, which are ripples in space-time produced by the mergers of black holes, and to test theories for dark matter, which is a mysterious type of particle(s) that makes up most of the matter in our universe.
What are your hobbies? I try to get outdoors (and away from screens!) as much as possible when not working. I like hiking with my Australian shepherd puppy, trail running and rock climbing.
Read any good books lately? I recently read and really enjoyed Dark Matter by Blake Crouch (although it has absolutely nothing to do with actual dark matter, sadly).
